Ordynacja czyli święcenia do urzędu duchownego w kościołach i wspólnotach eklezjalnych wyrosłych z reformacji

Abstract

The Churches that grew from Reformation do not recognise the sacrament of holy orders or hierarchical priesthood, but only election by the community and ordination by the seniors (so called presbytery) for the ecclesiastical office. The office is supported by common priesthood and is necessary in the service of God’s word and in administering sacraments: baptism and Eucharist. The idea of ’ordination’ preserved in the Lutheran and Anglican tradition, has not been used in Calvinist Churches, where the ceremonial choosing one to hold an ecclesiastical office was called election. Through ordination Jesus Christ calls the ordained one once for all to serve in his Church. In all Protestant Churches the liturgy of ordination was preceded by three introductory stages: designation, that is a ceremonial presentation of the candidate to the people – the liturgical congregation; examination – a series of questions asked according to a proper form; election – a chance to make objections to the candidate or the act of acceptance resulting from accepting him to the position. In Churches whose origin was in the Reformation the liturgy of ordination is offered on a Sunday during the service of the Church community and contains three elements: prayer to the Holy Spirit to make the candidate for the office able to fulfill his new tasks; putting hands on the candidate as a sign that the prayer for the Holy Spirit’s direction was heard; giving acceptance by the community, as a sign that the ordained person will be accepted by that community in the role of the herald of God’s word and the administrator of sacraments. Although the liturgies of ordination in particular Reformation Churches are differentiated, some common elements that always occur in them may be mentioned. Ordination is understood by Reformation Churches as an event whose character is at the same time religious and ecclesiastical, epicletic, communal and legal. Since the Apostolic times calling to a special office in the Church is done by putting hands on the candidate and a prayer by the community gathered at the service.